WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ – Monmouth posted eight runs in the first three innings and doubled three times in the first en route to James Kelly's (Oceanport, NJ/Shore Regional) first career win over Columbia Wednesday, 9-3. JP Walsh (Spring Brook Township, PA/North Pocono) posted his first career three-hit game including a double and a triple as MU went to 2-0 this week.

Cameron Bengtson's two-run home run for Columbia in the opening inning were the only runs MU gave up until the ninth, and the Hawks answered immediately. Kyle Norman (Ellicott City, MD/Good Counsel/Buffalo) worked a 12-pitch at bat, the first of two walks to lead off the frame before Shaine Hughes (Sewell, NJ/Washington Township) doubled the other way to get MU on the board. Clay Koniencki (Schwenksville, PA/Malvern Prep) dropped a double inside the left field stripe to plate two and give the Blue and White the lead before freshman Matt Graber (Newton, MA/Dexter) singled to almost the same spot, making it 4-2. Walsh capped the inning with a double to the wall in left center, giving Kelly a three-run lead to work with.

Walsh got another run home with a bases loaded infield hit, and Justin Trochiano (Morganville, NJ/Marlboro) added a fielder's choice to make it 8-2. Walsh later added a triple to the right center field gap to score the final run of the day for the Hawks in the fifth.

MU pitching retired 16 in a row between the third and the ninth, allowing no hits during that stretch before Columbia got a leadoff double in the ninth from pinch hitter Michael Kuzbel, who would eventually score on a ground out. That run for Hawks pitching included five straight 1-2-3 innings and a five-pitch frame from Kyle Ajjan (Chester Springs, PA/Downingtown East).

NOTES AND QUOTES
"We played well today and we pitched well. Brady [Kirkpatrick] put together a real good plan for the game, laying the game out and how we would split it up. We stuck to the game plan and did some really things at the plate, answering back early after falling behind, 2-0. We did some things that gave us some energy." – Dean Ehehalt

"James Kelly did exactly what we need him to do which is to throw strikes, compete, keep them off the board and give us a chance moving forward." – Dean Ehehalt

-James Kelly became the second Hawk in as many days to earn his first career win.
-JP Walsh put up his second career multi-hit game and first three-hit game ever.
-Walsh added his second career double and first ever triple in the contest.
-MU moves to 3-1 against Ivy League competition this year.
-Matt Graber had two hits for the third time in his freshman campaign.
-Clay Koniencki drove in multiple runs for the second time in three starts.
-Monmouth pitching did not allow a baserunner from the fourth through the eighth, retiring 16 in a row.
-Kyle Ajjan used just five pitches in the seventh to work his third straight clean inning, needing just 26 pitches to do so.
-Monmouth has beaten Columbia in back-to-back seasons.

NUMBERS CRUNCH
-Monmouth outhit Columbia 9-6.
-Brett Gannaway took his second loss of the year for Columbia.
-Bengtson had two of Columbia's six hits, including a home run.
-The Lions used seven pitchers in the game, with four of them not allowing a run.
-MU is now 10-18, while Columbia is 9-21.

UP NEXT
-Monmouth returns to action this weekend, with games scheduled beginning Friday against Maine and Sacred Heart in the bye weekend from MAAC play.